Search Results (34)

This study examines how undergraduate design students imagined and critiqued biotechnological futures through speculative work with generative AI in a semester-long biodesign course. Using inductive qualitative coding and visual discourse analyses, we traced how students’ prompts, images, and reflections reveal an evolving grammar of speculation. Students shifted from crisis description to design-oriented possibility and socio-political reasoning about ecological, cultural, and ethical implications. Generative AI supported this shift by offering visual feedback that enabled students to recognize assumptions and critically examine speculative designs. Through repeated cycles of prompting and refinement, students advanced biodesign prototypes and developed a nuanced understanding of AI’s affordances and limits. Extending constructionism learning theories into speculative design with generative AI, this study examines how learners externalize discursive and imaginative thought through prompt-crafting. These findings articulate a grammar of speculation, showing how generative AI mediates critical AI literacy as a discursive and constructionist learning process. Full article

First Nations children remain dramatically over-represented in Australia’s Out-of-Home Care (OOHC) system, particularly in New South Wales (NSW), which continues to report the highest numbers nationally. This narrative review, grounded in a relational First Nations Standpoint Theory and decolonising research paradigms, to critically examine the systemic, structural, and historical factors contributing to these disproportionalities. Drawing on interdisciplinary evidence across law, criminology, education, health, governance studies, and public policy, the analysis centres Indigenous-authored scholarship and contemporary empirical literature, including grey literature, inquiries, and community-led reports. Findings reveal that the OOHC system reproduces the colonial logics that historically drove the Stolen Generations. Macro-level structural drivers—including systemic racism, Indigenous data injustice, entrenched poverty and deprivation, intergenerational trauma, and Westernised governance frameworks—continue to shape child protection policies and practices. Micro-level drivers such as parental supports, mental health distress, substance misuse, family violence, and the criminalisation of children in care (“crossover children”) must be understood as direct consequences of structural inequality rather than as isolated individual risk factors. Current placement and permanency orders in NSW further compound cultural disconnection, with ongoing failures to implement the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Placement Principle (ATSICPP). Contemporary cultural rights and Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP) frameworks highlight the urgency of restoring Indigenous authority in decision-making processes. The literature consistently demonstrates that cultural continuity, kinship networks, and ACCO-led models are sort to produce stronger long-term outcomes for children. The review concludes that genuine transformation requires a systemic shift toward Indigenous-led governance, community-controlled service delivery, data sovereignty, and legislative reform that embeds cultural rights and self-determination. Without acknowledging the structural drivers and redistributing genuine power and authority, the state risks perpetuating a cycle of removal that mirrors earlier assimilationist policies. Strengthening First Peoples governance and cultural authority is therefore essential to creating pathways for First Nations children to live safely, remain connected to family and kin, and thrive in culture. Full article

Regarding Judah’s exilic realities and forced migration experience, this article proposes that the sage responsible for this poem functioned as a carrier group in articulating a narrative of collective trauma. The paper begins by summarizing key components of cultural trauma theory as developed by Jeffrey C. Alexander. It also situates the shared socio-historical context of the final textual forms of Jeremiah and Proverbs within the exilic/post-exilic realities of the Judahite community. It next traces the trope of wine inebriation across several Jeremiah texts, focusing especially on Jeremiah 25:15–29 to show how this motif is integrally woven into the book’s overarching themes of indictment, judgment, and exile. A conventional wisdom reading of Proverbs 23:29–35 yields a moralistic warning about the self-destructive cycle of wine intoxication of the fools in the book of Proverbs. But a cultural trauma hermeneutic of the poem—when paired with intertextual echoes of Jeremiah 25:15–29—opens the poem to a deeper reading. Within this framework, the sapiential poem emerges as a creative, dramatic and theologically rich act of trauma storytelling, depicting foolish Judah’s metaphorical intoxication as an embodiment of exilic indictment, woes and suffering, yet gesturing toward the possibility of healing and restoration through wisdom reflection and re-narration of their past. Full article

In today’s rapidly evolving business environment, digitalization has emerged not only as a technological trend but also as a strategic imperative. This paper develops a conceptual framework that examines how Industry 4.0 (I4.0) technologies and tools drive strategic innovation and enable the transformation of business models. Based on a systematic literature review, the framework identifies a set of organizational and contextual preconditions (strategic vision, organizational culture, digital skills, infrastructure, financial resources, and regulatory conditions) that can act as either enablers or barriers to innovation. The analysis reveals that these preconditions give rise to two contrasting innovation cycles: a virtuous cycle, where favourable conditions amplify the adoption of digital technologies and foster business model transformation, and a vicious cycle, where unfavourable conditions reinforce technological inertia and hinder strategic development. By integrating insights from innovation management, digital transformation, and business model theory, the framework offers a nuanced understanding of how technology and strategy intersect and provides actionable guidance for managers seeking to move beyond operational improvements toward reimagining value creation, delivery, and capture in the digital age. Full article

Culinary culture shock (CCS)—the discomfort and ambivalence travelers feel when encountering unfamiliar foods—remains underexplored from a short-horizon, trip-bounded perspective. While prior work notes both attractions and impediments of food in tourism, a process-oriented account of how ordinary travelers experience and navigate CCS during brief trips is still limited. This study examines CCS in Guangzhou, China and delineates how it shapes travelers’ evaluations of place. We adopt a qualitative design, combining 30 semi-structured interviews with in situ ethnographic observations across markets, street-food settings, restaurants, and guided food tours, supplemented by document analysis (e.g., visitor materials and menus). Using reflexive thematic analysis, we identify three recurrent coping trajectories—avoidance, gradual adaptation, and immersion—that unfold nonlinearly as travelers recalibrate expectations, manage sensory dissonance, and renegotiate comfort boundaries. We integrate expectancy–disconfirmation theory (EDT) with an embodied view of tasting to develop the Palate Adaptation Spiral Model (PASM), which explains CCS as recursive cycles of appraisal, strategy enactment, and re-appraisal within the span of a trip. Social influence (peers, guides, and service staff) operates as a cross-cutting mechanism that can accelerate adaptation or entrench avoidance depending on cue valence and credibility. The study clarifies the scope of CCS as general travel encounters (not restricted to culinary-motivated tourists) and specifies contextual conditions under which negative reactions are reversible. Theoretically, we connect EDT to short-term culinary adaptation through PASM; practically, we outline design levers—pre-trip expectation management, pictorial/transparent menus, and guide-mediated tasting sequences—to reduce anxiety and support constructive exploration. Full article

This study proposes a practical manual for community engagement in Positive Energy District (PED) development. It integrates evidence from three European pilot cases (Austria, Sweden, Spain). Using a dual-tier framework, it integrates an engagement framework, the Theory-of-Change (ToC) sequence for dynamic stakeholder roadmaps, with an assessment framework (an eight-aspect PED Matrix). The ToC model clarifies the socio-organizational pathway from urgency to institutionalization while the roadmaps translate these steps into actionable involvement for public, private, civil, and academic actors across top-down, bottom-up, and hybrid approaches. The proposed ToC framework is further supported by the PED Matrix, covering technology, process, environmental, financial, managerial, governance, social, and legal dimensions, which aims to ensure a holistic and target-oriented assessment using a simple 0–3 maturity scale. Guided by the central research question, “How can community engagement be systematically conceptualized, implemented, and tested throughout the PED life cycle using an integrated ToC model, stakeholder roadmap, and multi-aspect evaluation Matrix?”, this study provides practical instruments for stakeholder profiling and adaptive participation design and demonstrates application across contrasting governance, cultural, and climatic contexts. The three use cases show how engagement strategies can be tailored to secure early wins, sustain momentum, and support long-term ownership and replication. The study thus offers decision-makers and practitioners a scalable, evidence-based approach to embed inclusive participation within technical PED delivery and to strengthen the social robustness of district-scale energy transitions. Full article

At present, the digital construction of museums has created a novel cultural ecosystem that integrates digital preservation of cultural heritage, intelligent management, immersive experiences, and cloud-based services. However, insufficient synergistic integration of technological applications constrains the comprehensive release of the digital construction’s efficacy, while the absence of cultural assessment dimensions hinders the effective articulation of mechanisms whereby digital technology empowers cultural innovation. These concerns collectively constitute the primary impediments hindering museums from attaining sustainable development. The effectiveness of museum digital construction is fully clarified by combining grounded theory qualitative research methods with cultural cycle theory in this study. The Analytic Network Process (ANP) is used to manage interdependent relationships between factors, and cloud models are used to clarify indicator ambiguity, which allows for accurate assessment of digital construction results, consequently bolstering the sustainability of museum digitalization initiatives. The developed ‘qualitative–quantitative’ collaborative evaluation methodology for museum digital construction includes three sub-objectives: technology embedding, value co-creation, and institutional adaptation, as well as five primary indicators and ten secondary indicators. An empirical analysis of the ‘Smart Jiangxi Museum’ digital construction initiative at the Jiangxi Provincial Museum in China indicates that the project has achieved an ‘excellent’ standard. The findings of a previous qualitative study are effectively supported by this conclusion. This study presents a systematic approach for museum evaluation and gives decision-making guidance for museums to attain sustainable use of cultural resources, promote social knowledge transmission, and facilitate green, low-carbon transformation of operational models in the digital era. Full article

Introduction: Building a life in an asylum country poses specific challenges for women, who often face compounded barriers in healthcare, language acquisition, economic independence, childcare, education, cultural adaptation, and legal processes. This study examines the experiences of asylum-seeking women in Portugal, focusing on discrimination perpetrated by professionals within reception and integration institutions. Methods: Drawing on 24 semi-structured interviews with women from the Middle East (n = 14) and Africa (n = 10), this research adopts a criminological and gender lens and employs a narrative paradigm informed by constructivist Grounded Theory and an abductive approach. Results: The analysis reveals that institutional discrimination, manifested through neglect, hostility, and cultural insensitivity, reinforces feelings of abandonment and fear, obstructs integration, and perpetuates cycles of marginalization and vulnerability. These dynamics are intensified by gender-based and structural violence embedded in asylum procedures and professional practices. The findings highlight the emotional and relational dimensions of institutional encounters, showing how empathy, trust, and intercultural awareness among professionals are crucial for effective inclusion. Conclusions: This study concludes that addressing institutional discrimination requires systemic change, professional training in gender-sensitive and intercultural competencies, and the promotion of equitable, inclusive, and human rights-based reception practices in Portugal. Full article

Conventional academic warning systems in higher education often rely on end-of-semester grades, which severely limits opportunities for timely intervention. To address this, our interdisciplinary study developed and validated a comprehensive socio-technical framework that integrates social-cognitive theory with learning analytics. The framework combines educational data mining with culturally responsive, personalized interventions tailored to a non-Western context. A two-phase mixed-methods design was employed: first, predictive models were built using Learning Management System (LMS) data from 2,856 students across 64 courses. Second, a quasi-experimental trial (n = 48) was conducted to evaluate intervention efficacy. Historical academic performance, attendance, and assignment submission patterns were the strongest predictors, achieving a Balanced Area Under the Curve (AUC) of 0.85. The intervention, specifically adapted to Confucian educational values, yielded remarkable results: 73% of at-risk students achieved passing grades, with a large effect size for academic improvement (Cohen’s d = 0.91). These findings empirically validate a complete prediction–intervention–evaluation cycle, demonstrating how algorithmic predictions can be effectively integrated with culturally informed human support networks. This study advances socio-technical systems theory in education by bridging computer science, psychology, and educational research. It offers an actionable model for designing ethical and effective early warning systems that balance technological innovation with human-centered pedagogical values. Full article

As a renewable and carbon-storing raw material, wood is playing an increasingly important role in the transformation of the construction sector towards a circular economy (CE). However, extant scientific studies have largely analyzed its technical, environmental, and social aspects in isolation from one another. The present article provides a problem-oriented and conceptual narrative overview, integrating these three dimensions from a design perspective. The objective of this study is not to provide a systematic review of the extant literature, but rather to structure existing knowledge by categorizing topics as follows: well-recognized, moderately developed, and niche. This approach enables the identification of gaps and links relevant to architectural practice. A qualitative thematic approach was adopted, underpinned by a comprehensive analysis of peer-reviewed articles sourced from the Scopus and Web of Science databases. This approach was further enriched by the incorporation of a select array of highly cited sources, serving to substantiate the study’s findings and provide a comprehensive overview of the pertinent literature. The review identified four research areas with high potential but low recognition: digital tracking of the life cycle of wooden elements, upcycling of low-quality wood, development of innovative wood-based materials, and socio-cultural acceptance of CE-based architecture. These subjects are currently marginal in the field of research, despite their significant implications for design strategies, adaptive resource use, and the development of interdisciplinary tools. The article posits the necessity of integrating materials science, digital technologies and architectural theory as a prerequisite for the scalable development of circular wood construction. The proposed classification provides a conceptual framework to support further research and guide innovation in the built environment. Full article

With the global trend of green travel and demand for improving the quality of slow-moving systems in coastal cities, the optimization of the cycling system is crucial for improving the quality of the human environment. Based on the theory of “human–environment interaction” in habitat studies, the 22.15 km cycling route around Hengqin Island was studied considering the dimensions of energy flow, information interaction, and spatial–temporal utilization through field surveys, meteorological data analysis, and behavioral observation. The results showed that climate and topography significantly affect cyclists’ energy consumption and cycling efficiency, especially in hot and humid conditions in summer, greatly affecting the cycling experience. Meanwhile, the lack of a physical marking system and the disconnection of information transmission lead to difficulties in route selection, and there are significant time and seasonal variations in cycling behavior. Accordingly, microclimate adjustment, cultural symbol implantation, and flexible facility layout strategies are proposed to enhance the environmental comfort and information interaction efficiency of the cycling system. Full article

Grounded in information processing theory, this study explores how ecotourism decisions were formed within the rural district of Akdağmadeni (Türkiye), integrating both heuristic and systematic decision-making processes. The research adopts a two-phase mixed-methods design: First, it employs a survey-based factorial analysis involving 383 participants to examine preferences for nature-based activities such as trekking, cycling, and cultural tourism. Second, it uses in-depth interviews to investigate participants’ strategic evaluations of local landscape and heritage assets. The results reveal that individuals flexibly switch between intuitive and analytical judgments based on contextual factors. Key decision drivers identified include alignment with local development, ecological integrity, and socioeconomic contribution. This dual-process insight is operationalized through a novel “feature-based evaluation model” that synthesizes landscape identity values with cognitive-perceptual cues, providing a new lens for assessing geoheritage-based tourism behavior. It was determined that participants used both intuitive and systematic information processing strategies in their decision-making processes, and factors such as harmony with nature, economic contribution, and local identity were found to affect preferences. The study draws attention to the need to develop sustainable tourism policies, raise public awareness, and support infrastructure investments, and provides a road map for the effective use of the region’s ecotourism potential. Full article

This conceptual paper presents a framework for supporting multilingual students’ mathematical discourse through teacher professional development grounded in design-based research (DBR). Drawing on sociocultural learning theory, the Integrated Language and Mathematics Project (ILMP) was co-developed with elementary educators to promote integrated instruction that simultaneously advances students’ mathematical understanding, language development, and cultural identity. The ILMP framework centers around three instructional pillars: attention to language, attention to mathematical thinking, and cultural responsiveness. Through collaborative inquiry cycles, educators engaged as learners, contributors, and designers of practice, iteratively enacting and reflecting on instructional strategies rooted in students’ linguistic and cultural assets. Teachers implemented discussion-rich mathematical tasks, supported by language scaffolds and culturally relevant contexts, to foster students’ mathematical reasoning and communication. This approach was particularly impactful for multilingual learners, whose language use and problem-solving strategies were both valued and elevated. This paper also discusses the opportunities and challenges of DBR and research–practice partnerships, including flexibility in implementation and navigating district-level priorities. Insights underscore the importance of practitioner agency, asset-based pedagogy, and the co-construction of professional learning. The ILMP framework offers a scalable, equity-oriented model for improving integrated language and mathematics instruction in diverse elementary classrooms and beyond. Full article

This article is about how Elsa, a young Sámi girl in Ann-Helén Laestadius’ Stolen, learns to resist hate crimes that seek to sever her roots in traditional Indigenous herding practices. The nine-year old Elsa witnesses the killing of her personal reindeer and is threatened into a decade-long silence by the killer. There are more attacks which we read as the violent enforcement of western linear time on traditional seasonal herding cycles. The novel charts Elsa’s coming-of-age as a rebel able to seek retribution not just for herself and her reindeer but also to fight for a vital future for her culture. We read Stolen together with “revolutionary theory” to show how imposed settler temporality is harmful to sustainable modes of living. We emphasise a range of eco-activist responses to the novel, among them rebel reading itself as one of several forms of political engagement available for the eco-rebel. We consider teaching Stolen at secondary school level focusing on how readers can practice risk-taking engagement with a text while learning “how to read our world now” in solidarity with Elsa’s struggle for her people’s survival within an ecologically and socially just future for all. Ultimately, Elsa’s emergent rebellion suggests forms of activism based on a commitment to ancestry, especially its future. Full article

Life cycle assessment (LCA) has been used to evaluate wastewater treatment technologies, processes, and scenarios. The outcomes of LCA are affected by various uncertainties, including those from input data and those from the LCA model set-up (i.e., structural uncertainty). The impacts of structural uncertainty have not received adequate attention in research. The objective of this study was to quantify how the subjective choices embedded in the LCA model set-up affect the LCA outcomes of three wastewater sludge treatment processes. The subjective choices were based on LCA’s cultural theory that considers the three different human perspectives: egalitarian, hierarchist, and individualist. The three processes are multiple hearth incineration (MHI), fluid bed incineration (FBI), and anaerobic digestion (AD) for wastewater sludge treatment. This study revealed that for MHI, lower impacts are in the categories of human toxicity and marine ecotoxicity under the individualist perspective when compared to the other two perspectives, but higher impacts are in the categories of terrestrial acidification, terrestrial ecotoxicity, fresh water ecotoxicity, and marine ecotoxicity under the egalitarian perspective. Among the three subjective perspectives and the three studied wastewater sludge treatment processes, AD has the lowest and MHI has the highest environmental impacts. The results from this study revealed that the differences from subjective choices created large differences in LCA outcomes in climate change, human toxicity, ionizing radiation, terrestrial acidification, terrestrial ecotoxicity, and marine ecotoxicity. Findings from this study can benefit stake holders to understand the impacts of subjective choices and the limitation of LCA outcomes for making informed and sound decisions. Full article